Transportation crate for plastic cups and containers

ABSTRACT

A plastic, stackable transportation crate for carrying plastic cups and containers. The crate has conical side walls and a base formed of intersecting strips. The intersections of the strips support the cups, and at least two of the strips are bent upwardly at an angle parallel to the side walls of the cups carried therein to provide lateral support. Alternate embodiments are considered.

United States Patent 1191 Delbrouck et a1.

1451 Feb. 12, 1974 TRANSPORTATION CRATE FOR PLASTIC CUPS AND CONTAINERS[75] Inventors: Franz-Delbrouck,

' B ergisch-Gladba ch; Wilfried Nickel,

Menden, both of Germany I [73] Assignee: Freya Plastic & FranzDelbrousk, Bieberkamp, Germany 221 Filed: July 13,1971

211 Appl. No.: 163,539 I [30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 17,1970 Germany 2035487 [52] U.S. Cl. 220/21, 206/72, 220/97 R [51] Int. ClB6511 1/24, B65d H38 [58] Field of Search.. 220/21, 83, 66, 97 R;217/26, 217/265; 206/72 [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,369,659 2/1968 Ettlinger 217/26 3,236,410 2/1966 Swartz 220/623,494,502 2 1970 Roush 2,965,226 12/1960 Ettlinger 206/72 FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,120,067 7/1968 Great Britain 220/21 PrimaryExaminerGeorge E. Lowrance Attorney, Agent, or FirmA11ison C. Collard 57ABSTRACT A plastic,'stackable transportation crate for carrying plasticcups and containers. The crate has conical side walls and a base formedof intersecting strips. The intersections of the strips support thecups, and at least two of the strips are bent upwardly at an angleparallel to the side walls of the cups carried therein to providelateral support. Alternate embodiments are considered.

8 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures TRANSPORTATION CRATE FOR PLASTIC CUPS ANDCONTAINERS The present invention relates. to transportation crates, andin particular, to stackable transportation crates for carryingdisposable plastic cups and yogurt containers. I

Present packagings and transportation crates for yogurt containers mustbe constructed so that they can be loaded into incubators, where theyogurt, after the addition of certain bacteriological cultures, matures.Stackable cardboard boxes, formed from two or more blanks, have severaldisadvantages:

1. In a damp environment, the stability of the boxes is considerablyreduced;

2. Ventilation of such a carton is achieved only by providing aperturesin its base;

3. Folding of the blanks to form such cartons requires manual labor, andthus incurs additional cost; and

4. The empty cartons occupy considerable space and contribute to excesswaste problems.

Plastic crates are stable when stacked and may be repeatedly used.Manufacturers requiring transportation crates for yogurt cups utilize aconsiderable number of these. However, since the cups have differentshapes, and since the shapes are constantly being changed, such cratesare relatively unprofitable despite their long life. Furthermore, thereis no way to ventilate the crates since the base andside walls thereofare closed off.

Polystyrene foam pallets have projections and depressions formed thereininto which the cups can be inserted. The pallets may be ventilated onlyfrom the side, since the pallets are constructed with closed-offsurfaces to make them stable when stacked. However, the pallets must beused with an additional enclosing carton, which has an' adverseeffect-on aeration and ventilation of the pallets.

Plastic transportation crates which nest in each other may be used assmall washing baskets. Such containers usually have conical sides and abase formed of intersecting strips, and eventhough they are formed withan open baseand side walls, they are not suitable for holding yogurtcups,-since they have nothing to carry the individual cups.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a stackable plastictransportation crate having conical side' right angles at the cupsupport surfaces. Each support surface is provided with an aperture toprovide adequate ventilation of the crate. The diagonally intersectingstrips in the base are located near the cup support surfaces and areprovided with a recess on the bottom surface thereof whose diameter issubstantially the same as the upper diameter of a cup. The base is alsoprovided with an additional outer frame to increase stability.

The upper edges .of the side walls may be provided with a substantiallyU-shaped rim which forms an outwardly depending flange. The flangeportion has greater depth in the corners of the crate.

The transportation crate of the present invention requires a minimumamount of material for the manufacture thereof, since the side walls andbase thereof are substantially open. Despite "such construction, thecrate is stable. The crates are usually filled and then stacked one uponthe other. The cups of each crate engage the recesses provided in thebase of the crate immediately thereabove. The crates may also be stackedwhen they are empty to save transportation space.

An annular surface is provided near each cup support surface, part ofwhich intersects the strips. An aperture is provided therein forpermitting ventilation. An edge is provided on the bottom of the annularsurface, and has an internal diameter which is slightly larger than themaximum extemal' diameter of the cups to be inserted in the crate.

The angle of inclination of the side walls with respect to the verticalis greater than the angle of inclination'of the cup holding stripmembers. This prevents deformation of the upper edges of the cups whenthe crates-are stacked, and accidental opening of the container capduring heat treatment in the incubator.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide atransportation crate for holding plastic containers or cups which may bemanufactured by an injection moulding process.

It is another object of the present invention to provide atransportation crate which is stackable when filled or empty, and whichwill provide adequate ventilation of the cups and crate during use.

walls and a base formed of intersecting strips. The intersections of thestrips in the base support the cups, and at least two strips which passthrough each intersection, are bent upwardly at an angle parallel to theside walls of the cups to be carried therein to provide lateral support.I

the crates are stacked, the upper edges of cups in a lower crate aredisposed in the recesses provided in the bottom surface of the uppercrate. Lateral movement of the crates is thereby prevented. The cratehas continuous interconnected pairs of strip members which extendsubstantially vertically in its side walls and continue diagonally inthe base. Additional vertical, partially inwardly projecting stripmembers are also provided and form the side walls of the crate. Thestrips continue in the base bottom portion and intersect at It is alsoan object of the present invention to provide a transportation cratewhich is simple in design, easy to 1 I manufacture, and efficient andreliable in operation.

Other objects and'features of the present invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed description of the invention taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings which disclose severalembodiments of thefinvention. It is to be understood, however, that thedrawings are designed for the purpose of illustration only, and not as adefinition of the limits and scope of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similarelements throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a transportation crate constructed inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial, cross-sectional side view of the transportationcrate taken along section A-A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial, cross sectional view of the crate taken alongsection BB of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4is a fragmentarycross-sectional view of the crate taken alongsection C-C of FIG. 1; i

FIG. is a partial bottom plan view of the crate of FIG. 1, showing thesupport surface which receives the I cups to be transported;

FIG. 6 is a partial, cross-sectional side view of the crate of FIGS.1-5;

FIG. 7 is a partial bottom plan view of the crate of FIG. 1, showing acorner region thereof;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of a transportationcrate constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 9,is a partial, cross-sectional view of the crate taken alongsection A-A of FIG. 8; and

FIG. is a partial bottom plan view of the base of the crate as shown inFIG. 8.

Referring to the drawings, a transportation crate l which is made by aninjection moulding process, is constructed of plastic, and includes sidewalls 3 and a base 6 formed by substantially vertical intersecting stripmembers. The upper edges of side walls 3 are provided with a surroundingrim 2. The rim is substantially U- shaped and has an outwardly dependingflange whose width is greater in the corner region 2a.

Side walls 3 are disposed slightly inwardly towards the bottom of thecrate and are formed by vertical pairs of strip members 4 which areinterconnected at the bottom of the crate. Strips 4 continue alongbase-6 as diagonally intersecting strips 10 .and 12, whose intersectionsform support regions 8 for cups 17 to be carried therein. The positionof a cup carried by the crate is indicated by the dotted lines shown inFIG. 1. In addition to strips 4, vertical strip members 5 are providedin the side walls 3. Strips 5 project partially inwardly and continuealong the base as rectangul'arly intersecting strips 1 1 and 13. Strips11 and 13 extend the area of intersection of strips 10 and 12, and thusincrease the area of support surface 8 for the cups. Strips 11 and 13are bent upwardly to form holding strips 18 for the cups. The angle ofinclination of the holding strips conforms to the conicity of the cups.Horizontal connecting members 18a couple holding strips 18.

The height of crate l is preferably lower than the height of the cups.Near support surface 8, strips 10, 1 1, 12 and 13 are provided with ashoulder 15 and a recess 19. When the crates are stacked, the upper edgeof the cups in a lower crate engage recess 19 of the upper crate. Thecrates are thus interlocked and cannot be laterally displaced.

An aperture 20 is provided in the center of support surface 8 to permitventilation of the crate. Support surface 8 may also be reinforced byribs 16. The crate may be reinforced by providing an outer frame 7 onthe base 6. Stability of the crate is thereby increased.

In FIGS. 8-10, a plastic transportation crate 101, similar to the crateshown in FIGS. 1-7, is shown. Support surfaces 108 in base 106 arereinforced by annular surfaces 122, which intersect strips 110, 111, 112and 113. Vertically disposed strips 118 are provided for carrying thecups. The annular surfaces l22 are provided with recesses 125, whichengage the edges of the cups when the crates are stacked. The annularsurfaces are provided with an edge 124, the inside diameter of which islarger than the maximum outer diameter of the cups to be carried toprovide stability when the crates are stacked. The annular dispositionof the side walls and the holding strips with respect to the verticalpermit the crates to be stacked one inside the other when they areempty.

While only several embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those persons skilled in the artthat many changes and modifications may be made thereunto withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is: v

1. In a stackable transportation crate for carrying plastic cups andcontainers, having side walls and a base formed from a plurality ofdiagonally intersecting strips, the intersections of said strips formingthe supporting surfaces of the crate for the cups and containers carriedtherein, the improvement comprising:

a plurality of perpendicularly intersecting strips coupled to the sidewalls of the crate and disposed perpendicular thereto, saidperpendicularly intersecting strips being positioned onsaid crate sothat the intersecting points thereof pass through the points ofintersection of said diagonally intersecting strips for strengtheningthe crate and providing additional supporting surfaces-for the cups andcontainers carried by the crate, said perpendicularly intersectingstrips being bent upwardly adjacent said points of intersection thereofwith said diagonally intersecting strips at an angle with respect to thebase of the crate so as to form a U-shaped lateral support for the cupsand containers disposed on said supporting surfaces, saidperpendicularly intersecting strips being further bent upwardly at theirends at an angle with respect to the base of the crate so as to form theside walls thereof, the height of the portions of said perpendicularlyintersecting strips bent upwardly to form said side walls being lessthan the height of the containers and cups carried in the crate, and

a plurality of annular strips affixed to said diagonally and saidperpendicularly intersecting strips, said annular strips forming anannular support surface whose center is the point of intersection ofsaid diagonally and said perpendicularly intersecting strips, and aplurality of apertures disposed between said annular strips and saidperpendicularly and said diagonally intersecting strips for ventilatingthe crate.

2. The improvement as recited in claim 1, wherein said diagonallyintersecting strips are bent upwardly at the intersection thereof aroundsaid support surfaces so as to form circular recesses in said diagonallyintersecting strip members on the bottom surface of the crate forreceiving the upper edges of cups and containers on which the crate isdisposed,-said recesses and cups and containers interlocking the crateswhen they are stacked to prevent lateral movement thereof.

3. The improvement-as recited in claim 2, wherein the angle ofinclination of said upwardly bent portions of said perpendicularlyintersecting strips which form the side walls of the crate is greater,with respect to the vertical plane, than the angle of inclination of theupwardly bent portions of said perpendicularly intersecting strips whichform said U-shaped lateral supports.

4. The improvement as recited in claim 2, further comprising a rim,affixed to the upper edges of said upwardly bent portions of saidperpendicularly intersecting strips forming said side walls, having asubstantially U-shaped cross-sectional shape and an outwardly,downwardly-depending flange, said flange having a greater verticallength at the corners of the crate than at the center portions of saidflange therebetween.

5. The improvement as recited in claim 4, wherein said upwardly bentportions of said diagonally intersecting strips comprise in combinationa circular supporting surface in the base of the crate for supportingcups and containers disposed therein.

6. The improvement as recited in claim 4, wherein said upwardly bentportions of said diagonally inter-' 7. The improvement as recited inclaim 4, wherein the base of the crate includes a plurality ofapertures, disposed at the points of intersection of said diagonallyintersecting strips and'said perpendicularly intersecting strips, forventilating the crate.

8. The improvement as recited in claim 1, wherein said annular stripsfurther comprise a downwardlyextending, annular, perpendicular edge,said edge forming an annular cylinder on the outer edge of said annularstrips in the base of the crate for receiving the upper edges of cupsand containers therein, the diameter of said cylinder formed beingslightly larger than the diameter of the upper edges of cups andcontainers disposed in the crate, for receiving said upper edges in thelower surface of the base thereof when the crates are stacked.

1. In a stackable transportation crate for carrying plastic cups andcontainers, having side walls and a base formed from a plurality ofdiagonally intersecting strips, the intersections of said strips formingthe supporting surfaces of the crate for the cups and containers carriedtherein, the improvement comprising: a plurality of perpendicularlyintersecting strips coupled to the side walls of the crate and disposedperpendicular thereto, said perpendicularly intersecting strips beingpositioned on said crate so that the intersecting points thereof passthrough the points of intersectioN of said diagonally intersectingstrips for strengthening the crate and providing additional supportingsurfaces for the cups and containers carried by the crate, saidperpendicularly intersecting strips being bent upwardly adjacent saidpoints of intersection thereof with said diagonally intersecting stripsat an angle with respect to the base of the crate so as to form aU-shaped lateral support for the cups and containers disposed on saidsupporting surfaces, said perpendicularly intersecting strips beingfurther bent upwardly at their ends at an angle with respect to the baseof the crate so as to form the side walls thereof, the height of theportions of said perpendicularly intersecting strips bent upwardly toform said side walls being less than the height of the containers andcups carried in the crate, and a plurality of annular strips affixed tosaid diagonally and said perpendicularly intersecting strips, saidannular strips forming an annular support surface whose center is thepoint of intersection of said diagonally and said perpendicularlyintersecting strips, and a plurality of apertures disposed between saidannular strips and said perpendicularly and said diagonally intersectingstrips for ventilating the crate.
 2. The improvement as recited in claim1, wherein said diagonally intersecting strips are bent upwardly at theintersection thereof around said support surfaces so as to form circularrecesses in said diagonally intersecting strip members on the bottomsurface of the crate for receiving the upper edges of cups andcontainers on which the crate is disposed, said recesses and cups andcontainers interlocking the crates when they are stacked to preventlateral movement thereof.
 3. The improvement as recited in claim 2,wherein the angle of inclination of said upwardly bent portions of saidperpendicularly intersecting strips which form the side walls of thecrate is greater, with respect to the vertical plane, than the angle ofinclination of the upwardly bent portions of said perpendicularlyintersecting strips which form said U-shaped lateral supports.
 4. Theimprovement as recited in claim 2, further comprising a rim, affixed tothe upper edges of said upwardly bent portions of said perpendicularlyintersecting strips forming said side walls, having a substantiallyU-shaped cross-sectional shape and an outwardly, downwardly-dependingflange, said flange having a greater vertical length at the corners ofthe crate than at the center portions of said flange therebetween. 5.The improvement as recited in claim 4, wherein said upwardly bentportions of said diagonally intersecting strips comprise in combinationa circular supporting surface in the base of the crate for supportingcups and containers disposed therein.
 6. The improvement as recited inclaim 4, wherein said upwardly bent portions of said diagonallyintersecting strips forming said circular recesses are formed by atleast two vertically displaced shoulders in each of said diagonallyintersecting strips in the base of the crate adjacent the supportingsurfaces, the upper inner surfaces of the recesses having a diametersubstantially equal to the diameter of the base of the cups andcontainers disposed therein, and the lower inner surfaces of saidrecesses having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of theupper edges of the cups and containers.
 7. The improvement as recited inclaim 4, wherein the base of the crate includes a plurality ofapertures, disposed at the points of intersection of said diagonallyintersecting strips and said perpendicularly intersecting strips, forventilating the crate.
 8. The improvement as recited in claim 1, whereinsaid annular strips further comprise a downwardly-extending, annular,perpendicular edge, said edge forming an annular cylinder on the outeredge of said annular strips in the base of the crate for receiving theupper edges of cups and containers therein, the diameter of saidcylinder formed being slightly lArger than the diameter of the upperedges of cups and containers disposed in the crate, for receiving saidupper edges in the lower surface of the base thereof when the crates arestacked.